Update: Well, it's 9:30pm, and that means it's time for Chicken to turn back into a pumpkin...or just that the Q&A is over. I don't really study logistics. Thanks to Chicken for hanging out and thanks to all of you for your questions. We'll have more Q&As coming soon.
Part two of our double header is live and features the always tasteful and understated Chicken (of Dead To Me). Chicken will be fielding you questions about playing bass, tight pants, *co-Western Addiction-ugh* and his sweet hair tips.

Chicken will be posting answers with the username "ChickenDTMSF." Remember, play nice or we delete your post.

Haha... I'll clean it once it gets all over the pickups and junk. It's pointless to clean it every night though. I have terrible form as far as playing bass goes so I end up cutting my fingers because I don't play it properly. I taught myself how to play so that's why I suck at it!

I sure hope so!! The singer Jason is raising a family, so it's hard to get him to drop everything and have practice with the rest of of us fuck ups. I love that band though and I really hope we get to play again in the future. All in good time I'm sure.

My real name is Tyson, when I was 11 some kid at soccer practice started calling me "Tyson Chicken Chunks" because of the frozen food company Tyson. Plus I was chubby. Everyone thought it was hilarious and started calling me "chicken chunks" from then on. Over the years it got shortened to "chicken" thankfully. You don't get to pick your nickname, that's for sure. If you do, you're probably an asshole.

I know I say crazy shit onstage sometimes in reference to my past. It's not that I'm proud of it or that I'm trying to glorify or romanticize it, but it honestly helps me to remember how bad it was so I don't go back there. Plus, I know I'm not that different than any other addict there. We all do crazy shit to get ours. I feel like if I'm open about it and can express myself honestly about it, it takes some of the power away from the shameful feelings I have. I have a lot of self hate over the things I've done to myself and others while in my addictions. However, I have to make peace with the past if I'm ever going to be able to move forward. So I try to be open and exercise my demons when I can. Playing music, being creative and staying positive are very powerful tools for me. Playing in this band is by far the most productive and therapeutic thing I have in my life.

Chicago is basically our second home as a band now. We have so many buds there and we made a record there. It has a special place in our hearts as a band for sure. My favorite thing though is the group of people that come see us every time we play. I've been fortunate enough to meet a lot of them and it's a rad group of punx!

I realize your album just came out like 1 year ago, but is there any recording on the horizon? maybe a 7 inch at least or something from western addiction, or Enemy you (fingers crossed, even though you were not with them at the end) or hell, even something solo?

I know for a while there was talk that Jack might re-join you guys someday, but with Sam joining and being awesome and all, any chance of this happening anymore? Do you guys still talk or write together at all?

At this point it's safe to say that JAck coming back and doing anything musically with us is highly unlikely. He has his family and is doing amazing stuff with One MAn Army right now. He texted me when I went back to rehab this last time and had some super nice stuff to say to me. It meant a lot to me. I love that dude and all the music he makes.

Thanks! I wish I knew. I know hardly anything about gear and toners and all that pro stuff. I know I like it nice and bassy but with some natural distortion. Sometimes a sans amp is called for, but if I can get a nice dirty tone from the head itself I prefer that.

What are your thoughts regarding that Oakland Metro show with The Flatliners last year where there was a rave booked at the room next door? Don't know how well you remember it, but the ravers wandered onto the show and started getting on stage and at one point a raver started a fight for getting pushed in the pit and you "broke it up" by taking the mic to the floor and just let everyone crowd around you to sing to get the focus off the fight.

There is such a shift in DTM's sound from Cuban Ballerina to African Elephants that I sometimes forget that I'm listening to the same band. Was it the band's intention to try something different, or was it just the natural evolution of where you currently were as musicians? I love both albums, by the way.

It was a natural evolution to do something totally different. Does that make sense? It was both. We wanted to do something totally different because I never want to be in a band that every record sounds the same. Too easy. All my favorite bands sound different every record. Jawbreaker, The Clash, Fugazi etc. all the best bands have varying sounds from record to record.

You've been fairly open about your own struggles with addiction and sobriety. What, in your eyes, is one of the most common misconceptions about addiction and what's one piece of advice you'd offer a struggling addict?

To add to that ... I've seen you drink beer at shows -- not to be nitpicky, but does drinking alcohol interfere with your personal idea of sobriety? Do you consider alcohol, tobacco (or perhaps other substances) to be apart from being sober?

If you habe ever seen me drink beer at shows, it was when I was not taking care of myself or being the real me I want to be. For me when I'm sober, in my right mind taking care of myself and loving myself, I don't drink, smoke weed, or do anything except chain smoke cigarettes and drink coffee all day.

As someone who, for health reasons, isn't able to indulge in pretty much any vices: what would you suggest to someone who has nothing to "take the edge off. Is there something healthy that sober people (who can't smoke cigarettes or drink coffee) can do to reduce anxiety or get a slight buzz? And don't say "excersizing" because that takes work!

There are unfortunately a lot of misconceptions about addiction, the one that always gets me upset is when people say, "why don't you just stop?". If it were that easy there wouldn't be addicts. It's a disease of the brain that takes over people's lives. It's best described for me as an overwhelming obsession. Doesn't matter what the drug of choice is, drinking, drugs, whatever.... the addict has an overwhelming obsession to use again even in the face of drastic negative consequences. My advice to a struggling addict would be GET HELP!!! Now. There is so much help out there these days. FRom AA, to Harm Reduction, to Psychotherapy, to Psychiatric help. Tons of resources out ther efor people to get better. Do it.

*Cue intro music*
And now it's time for "Doin' Crimes' with your favourite host owneroperator!
The segment where we ask your favourite musician for their deepest darkest secret!

Ahem... Mr... Ahhh... Mr Chicken, have you ever stolen something? Do you smuggle people across the border? Have you ever driven though a puddle with the intention of splashing a pedestrian? Or do you have anything else you'd like to admit to us, to get off your chest? Bonus points for a story to accompany the answer.

Woah. So this is basically a form question that I've been posting in these open QnA type things because I'm an bored office worker. From reading the questions and comments above I realise that you might have some crazy stories but I don't want you to feel obligated to answer. Now I feel like a dick. Sorry.

yeah, there are some other tracks that were on their myspace when they just started. i have it on my other computer, but i can't think of what tracks. i think it was by the throat, cause of my anger, and 1 or 2 other tracks.

If Dead to Me ever played a show/festival that One Man Army was on would you ever consider playing the show with Jack on guitar/vox? Have you ever asked him to play a show with you when you were in SF?

I'm vegan so I tend to eat a lot of granola bars, bananas, apples, etc... I try to hit up my fav vegan spots around the country and in Europe whenever possible, but sometimes we aren't able to make time for it. Sux.

I own a handful of shirts, but I tend to wear the same two or three. Actually my drummer/cousin Ian just made me a sweet Food Not Bombs stencil tshirt a couple weeks ago so I added a new one to the repertoire. I stand like that when I play cuz I'm lazy!!!

Something NEw is about one of my friends drug addiction and my other friends attempted suicide. Luckily, both friends are doing way better these days. It sucked seeing them go through it and that song always reminds me of them. It also helps remind me that it's okay to feel feelings. A lot of people in my life always told me I was too emotional or that I shouldn't get worked up about things so easily. However, it is what makes me who I am, and it's okay to feel the feelings I have. That song is also about me being able to feel my feelings and reminding myself it's okay to do so.